I would like to use this thread as a safe place to discuss, unite and thrive in the energy field that is world we live in.

There is SOOOOO much info out there that it is confusing
I read one thing and it’s like “oh ya I am an empath”.
I read another “no I’m not an empath”
Another....”not an empath but yes to HSP”
OH WAIT there are 10 different levels of empathic abilities and their connected with the Alien races that Populated this world but in an alternative dimension that cern is trying to pull through the hadron.......
...You get my point

Let’s talk since we have no place to speak
Let’s share in the confidence that we have a place to be “us”
Let’s learn to heal ourselves so we are able to better heal others
And let’s learn HOW to help others so we can finally realize what it is that we keep searching for

Let this be a thread of discovery
A place to keep resources of what we feel is quality information
To learn and grow into the service that is who we are.....

Hello I am psybearknot and I believe my self to be an unhealthy and undereducated empath.....

Respect The subject and the sensitivity of those who not only post in this thread but to those who read this thread
Contribute the most solid and “factual” information you can.
When posting a video or link please put a brief synopsis of what the video or link is AND why you are posting it

Other then this please take into consideration the rules of this wonderful forum and the moderators who keep an eye on this. This forum was a long time coming with lots of hurdles to get it even started and we ARE NOT going to do anything to change the positive place this is....intact we will have a goal of enhancing this and making it better!

Along this line this is OUR thread as well as my thread. I want it to be of use to all who contribute l. So if there are any ideas, suggestions or a structure that would make this better...speak up! It’s much easier then trying to feel it out of you! (Empathic joke)

Through my “spiritual” journey / awakening or what ever it’s called I get really turned off by something being presented in a stereotypically “new age” style. Finger cymbals, glittered wands and fairy dust telling me I am a blessed creation of the universe is not my style....yes I over exaggerate...but it’s hard to deal with. I want some one to just sit down and talk to me on a level I find normal.
Once I remember how to post videos here I will get some links up.

But subjects that are presented are
Nutrition
Supplements
Dealing with the work place and self sabatoge
Narcissists / empath relationships

I really like the idea of this thread. There are so many dimensions of being an empath. What I would like to see in this thread is tools that empaths have learned to use to not succumb to emotional abuse, or being taken advantage of. So often we miss or overlook signs because we want to see the very best in all people, often to our own detriment. I tend to avoid people in general because I honestly do not trust my sense of judgement. I am really looking forward to seeing this thread develop. Great topic Bear.

Thanks for starting this Psy. Its a subject not really talked about enough. I would hope this is helpful to anyone who identifies as empathic, but even more so to those who have not made the admission, and struggle with the symptoms and effects without understanding why.

I started that way, without the ability to differentiate what was internal and what was not mine. It is very confusing to a child, and even to an adult that does not quite accept that they are affected by what and who they are around.

The first step in gaining some control is of course admitting that you are empathic, and then you can learn how to take care of yourself to avoid really getting overwhelmed and compensating in unhealthy ways.

Most medical and psychological doctors do not really understand at all, or accept this as real, and usually will try to treat with some pretty screwed up drugs. My teenage years were a classic example of how badly psychologists can fuck you up when they don't help, because there is no such thing as "empaths", so it must be depression or schizophrenia. I won't go into all that, but to say fortunately I had a Grandfather who was also empathic, and helped me once he saw that I was struggling with things he recognised.

I have read some of this doctors work, and she is helpful because she is also an empath, so she gets it. So without going into any of the myriads of techniques I have learned to cope, or any metaphysical protections at this time, I would like to just clarify what defines a general description of what makes an empath, and what is basically needed to cope in this world.

Hopefully there are some who will read what is said in this thread, and identify with it, thus begining the step to learning how to manage.

The trademark of an empath is feeling and absorbing other people’s emotions and/or physical symptoms because of their high sensitivities. These people filter the world through their intuition and have a difficult time intellectualizing their feelings. As a psychiatrist and empath myself, I know the challenges of being a highly sensitive person. When overwhelmed with the impact of stressful emotions, empaths may experience panic attacks, depression, chronic fatigue, food, sex, and drug binges, or exhibit many other physical symptoms that defy traditional diagnosis.

Empaths are naturally giving, spiritually open, and good listeners. If you want heart, empaths have got it. Through thick and thin, these world-class nurturers will be there for you. But they can easily have their feelings hurt, too: Empaths are often told that they are “too sensitive” and need to "toughen up."

2. Empaths absorb other people’s emotions.

Empaths are highly attuned to other people’s moods, good and bad. They feel everything, sometimes to an extreme. They take on negativity such as anger or anxiety, which can be exhausting for them. If they are around peace and love, though, their bodies take these on and flourish.

Empaths become overwhelmed in crowds, which can amplify their empathy. They tend to be introverted and prefer one-to-one contact or small groups. Even if an empath is more extroverted they may prefer to limit how much time they spend in a crowd or at a party.

4. Empaths are highly intuitive.

Empaths experience the world through their intuition. It is important for them to develop their intuition and listen to their gut feelings about people. This helps empaths find positive relationships and avoid energy vampires.

5. Empaths need alone time.

As super-responders, empaths find being around people can be draining, so they periodically need time alone to recharge. Even a brief escape prevents emotional overload. For example, empaths like to take their own cars when they go places so they can leave when they please.

6. Empaths can become overwhelmed in intimate relationships.

Too much togetherness can be difficult for an empath so they may avoid intimate relationships. Deep down they are afraid of being engulfed and losing their identity. For empaths to be at ease in a relationship, the traditional paradigm for being a couple must be redefined.

7. Empaths are targets for energy vampires.

An empath’s sensitivity makes them particularly easy marks for energy vampires, whose fear or rage can sap their energy and peace of mind. These vampires may do more than drain an empath’s physical energy. Especially dangerous ones such as narcissists (who lack empathy and are only concerned with themselves) can make empaths believe they’re unworthy and unlovable. Other vampires include The Victim, The Chronic Talker, The Drama Queen and more.

The busyness of everyday life can be too much for an empath. The natural world nourishes and restores them. It helps them release their burdens and they can take refuge in the presence of green wild things, the ocean, or other bodies of water.

9. Empaths have highly tuned senses.

An empath’s nerves can get frayed by noise, smells, or excessive talking.

10. Empaths have huge hearts but sometimes give too much.

Empaths are big-hearted people and try to relieve the pain of others: a homeless person holding a cardboard "I'm hungry" sign at a busy intersection, a hurt child, a distraught friend. It's natural to want to reach out to these people and ease their pain. But empaths don't stop there. Instead, they take it on—suddenly they're the one feeling drained or upset when they felt fine before.

As an empath myself, I use many strategies to protect my sensitivities, such as fierce time management, setting limits and boundaries with draining people, meditation to calm and center myself, and going out into nature. I find being an empath a gift, but I had to learn to take care of myself. Empaths have special needs. If you're one of us, it’s important to honor your needs and communicate them to your loved ones.

Adapted from "The Empath's Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People" by Judith Orloff MD. Information at www.drjudithorloff.com

Through my “spiritual” journey / awakening or what ever it’s called I get really turned off by something being presented in a stereotypically “new age” style. Finger cymbals, glittered wands and fairy dust telling me I am a blessed creation of the universe is not my style....yes I over exaggerate...but it’s hard to deal with. I want some one to just sit down and talk to me on a level I find normal.
Once I remember how to post videos here I will get some links up.

But subjects that are presented are
Nutrition
Supplements
Dealing with the work place and self sabatoge
Narcissists / empath relationships

Funny you mention relationships. The female parental unit is *Dx* NPD. And she's getting better at it, or at least thats the last I heard. The Dud has not been diagnosed with anything, but it took 17 years before he fled for his life, so he cannot be all there... He's got traits up to the eyeballs.

I have no contact with them. I have found sanity by not waiting for them to change...

There are alot of definitions for an empath, and suggestions to help from too many perspectives . I think we can safely say each empath is a bit different, yet with commonalitys, and each needs to determine methods that work for them personally. That said, I really think there are some tool basics, for the most commonly needed defenses.

I have to keep this personal, because I only know a few other empaths, and other than the one I married, I do not really know how they deal with these weak points.

1.

I cannot just always stay away from crowds (shopping especially), and if I start overloading it becomes harder to tell where the physical ailments and/ or emotional input is coming from. This will begin the panic for me of determining what is mine. Some days I am just hypersensitive, and these are not good days to be in places with a lot of people I do not know.

I think all empathic persons need to have a "shield". Mine is most effective for making an exit, because I cannot maintain it indefinitely. I call it the mirror, and as best as I can describe, it is a psychic reflective mirror made of my energy field that I can erect to bounce everything away. It is draining of my personal energy and I use it pretty much only to escape a environment where I am quickly falling into panic, and when the physical ailments are afflicting me such as nausea, and severe illness, or really bad emotional negatives like hate, extreme anger, or fear.

I have found some stones that amplify this, making it last longer, or remain reflective for longer time frames, but it is still an extension of my energy used to place this reflective field.

2. "Clearing"

Once I have become overloaded, I have to clear out any and all of someone else's residual energy, Even daily I seem to accumulate from what I am around, and I have several different ways to clear this. Smudging myself is one.

Meditation, to pull the gold light through me as a flow, collecting and clearing all negative and non belonging accumulation, and discharge it into the earth through grounding only takes a few minutes, and leaves me feeling like a sigh of relief. I use stones that absorb negativity as well to clear and even at times to reinforce a "Shield", and activate my own energy points.

3."Re-charging"

I seem to always be spending energy just to go through a day. Some days of course more taxing than others.

I find I really need to refill every day. Spending time outside, alone is restorative to me. Animals like my dogs or cats are not demanding, and actually help re-charge because they only seem to put out positive.

I can seem to put out a lot of positive energy, and encouragement, and soothe hurt and pain in my partner and others as long as I have the ability to clear and cleanse, and then recharge.

I know we all have areas of difficulty. I have always been essentially a "loner". I prefer it that way. Even in a marriage situation, I need my alone time every day. I can cope with small amounts of people I know at once, but I think part of that is knowing someone well enough that I recognise what they feel and emit as theirs because I have felt it so often.

I have the most difficulty in public places with alot of people I do not know. I am also sensitive to too much attention or focus on me from a group. It just freaks me out like all those eyes demanding and expecting from me. Interestingly this is not true in my meditation group. I have a trust there though in the type of people that attend, and the leader is a empath that puts out massive amounts of positive energy. She says she channels it from higher sources, and it flows through her but does not drain her. This is why I am learning and interested in Reiki, because I need to find ways to allow the light energy to flow through me, and not drain me when I need to deal with sickness or pain in others, which is pretty much daily.

I used to love sopping but now it causes me so much pain and i dont have to touch anything big or small even these days I point and hubby or the kids put it in the cart and take it out of the cart and put it back etc so this shouldnt cause me pain and it still does
so I lerned that I am picking up on the group energy so now I have learned to do internet shopping :) or send the kids cuz they gota learn to shop sometime :)

I have a question about smudging with sage
Does the smoke drive away all spirits or is it more of an intent I wish for negative energie suckers to leave but any positive or say spirit guides to stay

My oldest son is an empath too and all this winter he has no energy this isnt a new thing for winter for him but even with extr vit d I think there is other issues or beings or something keeping him hibranating its easioer to do sometimes when you feel others energies is to hide way by yourself I know this too well myself

th other day he was talking standing up for himself and his disabilitys and expressing this to me he was getting louder and louder and this isnt him but positive cuz hes shy and quiet....well then I seen a fllash of a dark being tall and wide bigger then me but as tall as my boy not too freakishly tall anyway ...looked back quick and its not there....
....I looked at my boy he had a funny look on his face....so I asked him did you see that?
he answered"I think so"
...I explained what I seen and told him I dont feel negative maybe its smething to help you find your voice....but I told him I do wanna smudge cuz I think there is something zaping our energy and he did agree that it might be a good idea

I just dont wanna get rid of anything positive or I dont usually smudge we have spirits from time to time but mostly the ones that are noisy are family ;) they are welcome for a visit even if they have passed on ;)

I have a question about smudging with sage
Does the smoke drive away all spirits or is it more of an intent I wish for negative energie suckers to leave but any positive or say spirit guides to stay

IMO, smudging is much more a matter of focused intent.

I also have no desire to clear away any positive spirits, guides, or positive energy or beings. When I smudge I do so with a clear stated intent to clear away what is negative. I visualize the smoke as penetrating into every corner and space, gathering and binding to any negative energy I see as a dark ether. Always leaving an open window or door, it gets pulled out with the sage smoke to be returned to the earth.

I have "visitors" often, and entities and guides that are welcome. Smudging has never seemed to inhibit their presence, nor is it my intent to do so.

I also have many crystals that radiate positive, and the house and yard are also gridded against negative presence or psychic attack.

I am also very fond of pure natural rock salt, and leave small shallow dishes in a few places to absorb any negativity. When done this way it needs to be disposed of, outside the house occasionally. The Himalayan salt lamp seems to constantly radiate a positive and clearing aire where it is placed.

I also have materials that absorb and clear negativity that I carry or wear at times. Black Amethyst is a good "feeder" crystal, to help replenish energy when you feel drained.

Im on fish oils too if my kid can swallow the big pill I will get him too try that too Alder it be good for him

Skye my one amathist has helped me this winter I will share it with him for now help him to get motivated
....and thanks for the smudging info I thought it be more intent ....good tip to leave the window open too answered my questions well :)

There is a blade like crystal called Stilbite, which is one of the zeolite formations. It is often the base material for Apophyllite crystals. The combination is superb. The zeolites are a negativity sponge, clearing it and rejuvenating from your body, very good for healing, The Apophyllite is one of the Angel Crystals. Green being the rarer form.

This is my piece, the pink is the Stilbite, the green is the Apophyllite. It sits on the mantle in the room where we spend most time, when not being used to hold awhile............